e court face to face with the issues
involved, the Rabbi gave a sketch of a certain sermon he had heard
while assisting "a learned and much-beloved brother at the Sacrament,"
and Carmichael was amazed at the transfiguration of this very youthful
performance, which now figured as a profound and edifying discourse,
for whose excellent qualities the speaker had not adequate words. This
fine discourse was, however, to a certain degree marred, the Rabbi
suggested, by an unfortunate, although no doubt temporary, leaning to
the teaching of Mr. Erskine, whose beautiful piety had exercised its
just fascination upon his spiritually-minded brother. Finally the
Rabbi left the matter in the hands of the Presbytery, declaring that he
had cleared his conscience, and that the minister in question was
one--here he was painfully overcome--dear to him as a son, and one to
whose many labours and singular graces he could bear full testimony,
the Rev. John Carmichael, of Drumtochty. The Presbytery was slow and
pedantic, but was not insensible to a spiritual situation, and there
was a murmur of sympathy when the Rabbi sat down--much exhausted, and
never having allowed himself to look once at Carmichael.

Then arose a self-made man, who considered orthodoxy and capital to be
bound up together, and especially identified any departure from
sovereignty with that pestilent form of Socialism which demanded equal
chances for every man. He was only a plain layman, he said, and
perhaps he ought not to speak in the presence of so many reverend
gentlemen, but he was very grateful to Doctor Saunderson for his
honourable and straight-forward conduct. It would be better for the
Church if there were more like him, and he would just like to ask Mr.
Carmichael three questions. Did he sign the Confession of Faith?--that
was one; and had he kept it?--that was two; and the last was, When did
he propose to leave the Church? He knew something about building
contracts, and he had heard of a penalty when a contract was broken.
There was just one thing more he would like to say--if there was less
loose theology in the pulpit there would be more money in the plate.
The shame of the Rabbi during this harangue was pitiable to behold.

[Illustration: THEN AROSE A SELF-MADE MAN]

Then a stalwart arose on the other side, and a young gentleman who had
just escaped from a college debating society wished to know what
century we were living in, warned the last speaker